Refrigerated display case and refrigerated partition



N. ACHS REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE AND REFRIGERATED PARTITION Filed June 17, 1946 July 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR N/'cho/as A 6/76 BY 3110M ATTORN EY N. AcHs July 18, 1950 REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE AND REFRIGERATED PARTITION Filed June 1'7, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR N /ch 0/46 A c/m ATTO R N EY Patented July 18, 1950 REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE AND REFRIGERATED PARTITION Nicholas Achs, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 17, 1946, Serial No. 677,151

4 Claims. (01. 6289 .5)

The invention pertains to refrigerated display and dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a refrigerated vegetable display case.

It is an object of my invention to provide im proved refrigeration apparatus for conveniently and effectively storing, displaying and dispensing food products of a vegetable nature maintained under proper conditions of temperature and humidity for preservation until dispensed.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a refrigerated vegetable display case in which a portion of the stored goods is kept in a display container, where it is directly displayed and available, in such an arrangement that the display container or basket becomes a secondary refrigeration surface to aid in maintaining proper conditions of temperature and humidity.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved vegetable display case wherein a portion of the goods is preserved in a storage bin and a portion is preserved and displayed in a display container resting in conveniently removable relation upon the storage bin.

Another object of my invention is to provide refrigerated vegetable display cases wherein both the displayed goods and the stored goods are easily inspected and dispensed.

' A further object of my invention is to provide an improved refrigerated element for use in refrigeration apparatus.

The term vegetable as used herein and throughout has reference broadly to the various food products of this general nature, including fruits, berries and the like, which require maintenance of proper conditions of both temperature and humidity for effective preservation.

My invention may be more readily understood from a consideration of the specification in conjunction with the drawings disclosing specific embodiments of the invention, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the refrigerated vegetable display case, with both doors in the elevated positions, the cabinet being partially broken away and dotted lines showing the internal structure and arrangement;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4.-4 in Fig. 3, and showing the structure of the refrigerated partition and the arrangement for mounting display containers thereon to also serve as secondary refrigeration surfaces.

Referring more specifically to the figures of the drawings, my refrigerated vegetable display and dispensing case comprises thermal insulating walls means ll forming a cabinet open at the top, and preferably sloping forwardly for greater convenience in displaying and dispensing the goods. For dividing the enclosed space into a plurality of separated storage bins a plurality of refrigerated partitions I3 are provided and these are mounted vertically in positions suitably spaced apart to provide a number of storage bins of the sizes as desired. Although in the specific example here disclosed, six storage bins are provided and of equal sizes, it will be understood that the cabinet may be provided with different numbers of bins and, of different sizes. 1

As may be seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, each refrig erated partition is may comprise a sheet metal member the upper edge of which inclines downwardly toward the front edge at an angle corresponding to the forward slope of the top of the cabinet, and the forward tilt which is to be imparted to display containers I5. The partition is refrigerated by providing the sheet metal mem-. ber l3 with a plurality of reverse bends extending across in spaced parallel relations, and substantially parallel to the inclined upper edge of the partition. A reversely bent refrigerant conduit I1 is provided having a plurality of straight elements I9 which are spaced apart in parallel relations suitably to be disposed snugly in valleys of the reversely bent portion of the partition. It has been found that ample refrigeration is. provided by passing the refrigerant conduit through every third valley, which brings it alternately on opposite sides of the partition, as shown in Fig. 4, the heat to be carried away being effectively transmitted to the conduit through the thermally conductive metal sheet of the partition. To provide a refrigerated partition which is effective and efficient, it is of course important that the refrigerant conduit be disposed very snugly into the valleys of the partition, and for this purpose the conduit is preferably secured therein as by metal fusion, such as soldering, or the like. Also, it is found to be ample to only apply the refrig: erant conduit to the upper portion of the partition, the lower portion still being a substantially fiat sheet and having a cut-out area M in one corner for drainage of condensed moisture along the bottom of the cabinet to any suitable drain, not shown.

Fig. 4 shows more clearly how the upper edge of the partition is turned to receive a channel strip 23 in inverted relation thereon, where it. is secured in intimate thermal conductive connection, as by welding, soldering, or other metal the bins may be exposed continuously for convenient display and dispensing. The display containers or baskets 15, as shown, are made of sheet metal, so that these become secondary refrigeration surfaces when installed upon the flanges of the partitions in order to aid in maintaining proper conditions of temperature and humidity for preservation of all the goods, both the displayed and the stored portions thereof. To further improve the conditions of humidity and temperature it is found preferable to provide the side walls of the sheet metal display containers l5 with apertures 33, which may be seen in Fig. 4, and also in the broken away portion of Fig. 3. It will be understood that the display containers may be made of any suitable openwork metal structure providing for heat conduction. The open work display containers do not act as a' partition and instead permit convection currents of air to circulate through and this avoids creating an icy condition.

The refrigerant conduit [1 is preferably interconnected between the partitions in the cabinet so that these are all connected in series relation to receive any suitable refrigerant which may be cold' water or brine, volatile or other refrigerant, from any suitable source which may be central or local, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the refrigerator arts. As shown, the cabinet may be constructed to provide a machine compartment 34 under the storage compartments, in a well known manner, and may have mounted therein any conventional volatile refrigerant condensing unit, as represented at 35. Any well known thermostatic controls may be utilized for automatically supplying suitable amounts of the refrigerant, such not being a part of this invention. The arrangement and} adjustment is so that temperatures are main-' tained above freezing for vegetable products, as will be understood. The display containers l5 are, mounted in the cabinet below the coldair line. in order to be immersed in the air refrigerated by the refrigerated partitions.

The cabinet is closed by doors each comprising two parts, a front part 31 and a back part 39 pivotally connected together by hinge means 4|,

and which may be closed down as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. The back edge of the. back part 33 of each door is pivotally secured, to the back wall of the cabinet by hinges 43,

and the front part maybe turned back upon I closing, but the latch cannot move forwardly beyond the position shown. Any suitable light source 5| is mounted in the super-structure and it is so positioned that it will effectively illuminate the goods in the display containers l5, as well as the'goods in the storage bins when the containers are lifted or turned back. By mounting a mirror 53 on the bottom or inside surface of theback portion 39 ofeach door, viewing the contents of the bins is facilitated.

It will be seen that I have provided a vegetable display and dispensing apparatus which very conveniently holds goods of a vegetable nature for continuous display in an effective manner while also providing for convenient dispensing and storing the goods under conditions of temperature and humidity which are favorable for preserving such goods in fresh condition, and which avoids frosting of goods and labels.

It is apparent that within the scope of my invention modifications and different arrangements may be made other than herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending variations thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerated vegetable display case com-.- prising, thermal insulating wall means forming a cabinet having an open top sloping forwardly, refrigerated partitions in said cabinet in vertical positions and extending from back to front of p the cabinet at suitably spaced positions toprovide separated storage bins, the upper edgesof said partitions being inclined toward thefront.

of the cabinet, a plurality of display containers of suitable sizes-and shapes removably-mounted above the respective storage bins, saiddisplay containers having laterally extending edges, means receiving said edges and supporting the containers along the forwardly inclined tops of the refrigerated partitions, and said display containers being made of thermally conductive material.

2. A refrigerated partition for display cases comprising, a sheet metal member adapted tobe installed in an open top cabinet,-the upper edge of said member being toward the front edge at an angle corresponding to the angle of tilt to be imparted to display con-v tainers, a plurality of reverse bends extending;

disposed in-valleys of the reverse bends in said member, and a strip secured along the upper edge of said partition and having oppositely extending container support flanges.

3. A refrigerated partition for display cases comprising, a sheet metal member adaptedto be.

installed in an open top cabinet, the upper edge of said member. being inclined downwardly toward.

the front edge at an angle corresponding to the angle of tilt to be imparted to display containers, the upper portion of said member having a plurality of reverse bends extending across said member in spaced parallel relation substantially parallel to the upper edge of the member, the lower portion of said member being substantially flat, a reversely bent refrigerant conduit having.

a plurality of parallel spaced straight elements disposed snugly into valleysin the reverse bends in said member, and said refrigerant. conduit having interconnecting loops between the ends. of the straight elements and extending alongfthe edges of said member.

inclined downwardly REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Harris Oct. 31, 1905 Cocks Apr. 22, 1941 Sanders July 8, 1941 Miller June 15, 1943 Shreve Oct. 19, 1943 Loewy Feb. 8, 1944 Hoffman Aug. 12, 1947 Raskin Sept. 30, 1947 Achs May 11, 1948 

